The Health Benefits of Pomegranate Juice

The health benefits of pomegranate juice make it simply one of the richest sources of antioxidant flavonoids—healing compounds in plants—that nature has to offer. And research has confirmed that the particular flavonoids in pomegranates have the ability to slow the development of atherosclerotic disease in mice and humans to help prevent cholesterol oxidation in the blood.

Research Proves the Health Benefits of Pomegranate Juice

Other research has examined the health benefits of pomegranate juice consumption in patients with carotid artery obstruction.

Specifically, 10 study participants drank approximately 1½ ounces of pomegranate concentrate every day for one to three years. The same-size control group did not consume pomegranate juice. Throughout the entire trial, both groups of patients continued their usual heart medications. At the end of the study, those people drinking pomegranate juice had:

A 20 percent drop in systolic blood pressure;

A 19 percent reduction in oxidized LDL antibodies;

And a reduction in intramedial thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery walls.

UCLA researchers found that drinking one 8-ounce glass of pomegranate juice a day significantly reduced levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) among men who had undergone surgery or radiation treatment. (PSA levels indicate the level of prostate abnormalities.) Although it's not known exactly why the the health benefits of pomegranate juice work, it's thought that its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties may somehow change the way prostate cancer grows.

Simple To Swig

Drinking pomegranate juice is probably the easiest way to incorporate this super food into your daily diet. Because the taste is so sweet and tart, I like to dilute it with filtered or sparkling water (about 2 ounces of pomegranate juice with 6 ounces of water). It is also great to add to other organic juices or make in your own juicer at home. And you can use pomegranate juice to flavor sauces, dips and salad dressings, as with the recipe below. (Get more heart-healthy recipes.)

You can find pomegranate juice in health-food stores and some groceries. Select one that's all-natural, with no added sugars or artificial ingredients.

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Meet Dr. Sinatra

Dr. Stephen Sinatra is a highly respected and sought-after cardiologist and nutritionist with more than 30 years of clinical practice, research, and study. His integrative approach to heart health focuses on reducing inflammation in the body and maximizing the heart's ability to produce and use energy. More About Dr. Sinatra

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